National News

India’s Fish Production Doubles in a Decade, Employment Sees Massive Boost

• India’s fisheries and aquaculture sector has demonstrated remarkable growth over the past decade, with total fish production reaching 197.75 lakh tonnes in the fiscal year 2024-25, representing a significant 106% increase from the 2013-14 baseline figures, solidifying India’s position as the world’s second-largest fish producer globally.
• The transformative growth has been primarily driven by major government initiatives including the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), which have successfully attracted substantial investments into the sector and modernized fishing infrastructure across coastal and inland regions.
• The sector’s expansion has generated employment for 74.66 lakh people directly, while strengthening the livelihoods of nearly 3 crore fishers and their families across India, making it one of the most significant contributors to rural employment and poverty alleviation in the country.
• Seafood exports from India have surged to ₹62,408 crore, establishing the fisheries sector as a key driver of rural economic growth, nutritional security, and overall economic development, while contributing significantly to India’s agricultural export earnings and foreign exchange reserves.

Appointments and Resignations News

Justice Revati Mohite Dere Sworn In as Meghalaya’s First Woman Chief Justice

• Justice Revati Mohite Dere made history by being sworn in as the first woman Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court during a formal ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in Shillong, marking a significant milestone for gender representation in India’s judicial system.
• She assumes the position following the transfer of Justice Soumen Sen, who has been reassigned to serve at the Kerala High Court, ensuring continuity in the administration of justice in the northeastern state.
• Prior to her appointment to Meghalaya, Justice Dere served with distinction as a judge of the Bombay High Court, bringing extensive judicial experience and expertise to her new role in the northeastern region.
• Her appointment was formally recommended by the Supreme Court collegium, the constitutional body responsible for judicial appointments in India, and the historic event significantly strengthens judicial leadership and gender diversity in Meghalaya’s highest court.

State News

Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary Becomes Kerala’s First Dedicated Butterfly Conservation Area

• Kerala has officially renamed the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary as Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary, establishing it as the state’s first dedicated butterfly conservation area in recognition of the region’s exceptional butterfly biodiversity and ecological significance.
• The transformative decision received formal approval from the State Board for Wildlife, and authorities have planned the development of a comprehensive butterfly village that will connect four neighboring panchayats, creating an integrated conservation and eco-tourism corridor.
• Originally declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1984, Aralam is strategically located within the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive regions, making it an ideal location for specialized insect conservation efforts.
• The initiative will feature extensive awareness campaigns, conservation education programs, and sustainable eco-tourism activities designed to promote community participation while strengthening insect conservation efforts and generating alternative livelihoods for local communities.

State News

APEDA Establishes Regional Office in Raipur to Strengthen Chhattisgarh’s Agricultural Export Capacity

• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has inaugurated a dedicated Regional Office in Raipur during the 2nd India International Rice Summit, aimed at significantly strengthening agricultural and processed food exports from Chhattisgarh.
• The newly established office will provide comprehensive support services to farmers, farmer producer organizations (FPOs), and exporters throughout Chhattisgarh, a state particularly renowned for its non-basmati rice varieties and Geographical Indication (GI) tagged premium rice varieties including Jeeraphool and Nagri Dubraj.
• The regional office will offer critical services including export registration assistance, quality certification support, international market linkage facilitation, and technical guidance on meeting international food safety standards and phytosanitary requirements.
• This strategic initiative aims to effectively integrate smallholder farmers and producer groups with global agricultural markets, thereby strengthening India’s overall agricultural export ecosystem and increasing foreign exchange earnings from the agriculture sector.

International News

India and Germany Strengthen Strategic Partnership with Comprehensive Agreements During Chancellor’s Visit

• India and Germany significantly deepened their strategic partnership following high-level bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Gandhinagar, resulting in comprehensive agreements covering migration management, security cooperation, and skilled worker mobility, along with the announcement of visa-free transit arrangements for Indian nationals traveling through Germany.
• A landmark Global Skills Partnership was established with a primary focus on facilitating the mobility of healthcare professionals between the two nations, addressing Germany’s healthcare workforce shortages while creating international career opportunities for Indian medical professionals and nursing staff.
• The two nations agreed to enhanced security collaboration, expanded cooperation in clean and sustainable energy technologies through the establishment of a new Centre of Excellence, and strengthened cultural partnerships particularly in the preservation and promotion of maritime heritage.
• The developments reflect growing bilateral trust and expanding people-to-people ties, with bilateral trade between India and Germany having already crossed the USD 50 billion milestone, positioning Germany as one of India’s most important European trading partners and technology collaborators.

Awards and Recognitions News

Goa Industrialist Shrinivas Dempo Receives Italy’s Highest Civilian Honor

• Goa-based industrialist Shrinivas Dempo has been conferred with Italy’s prestigious Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia (Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy), one of the highest civilian honors bestowed by the Italian Republic, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to India-Italy relations.
• The award specifically recognizes Dempo’s sustained efforts in supporting Italian citizens residing in India, facilitating their integration and addressing their needs, while simultaneously promoting robust cooperation between India and Italy across business, cultural exchange, and community development initiatives.
• The prestigious honor was formally presented to Dempo in Goa by Italy’s Consul General in a ceremony attended by dignitaries from both nations, highlighting the significance of the recognition at the diplomatic level.
• The conferment underscores the increasingly important role that industry leaders and business executives play in strengthening bilateral ties and people-to-people diplomacy, complementing formal government-to-government relations and contributing to deeper economic and cultural integration between nations.

National News

NHAI Achieves Four Guinness World Records During Construction of Major Economic Corridor

• India’s highway construction sector set four simultaneous Guinness World Records during the construction of the strategically important Bengaluru-Kadapa-Vijayawada Economic Corridor (National Highway 544G) in Andhra Pradesh, showcasing the country’s world-class engineering excellence and exceptional project execution capacity in infrastructure development.
• The record-breaking achievements include the longest continuous laying of Bituminous Concrete (BC) pavement, the widest continuous BC laying operation, the highest quantity of bituminous concrete laid within a 24-hour period, and the construction of a remarkable 52-kilometer continuous three-lane stretch without interruption.
• The ambitious 343-kilometer six-lane expressway corridor is strategically designed to significantly boost logistics efficiency between major economic centers, substantially reduce travel time for goods and passengers, and drive comprehensive regional economic growth across southern India.
• The multiple world records demonstrate the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) unwavering commitment to delivering world-class infrastructure while showcasing Indian engineering capabilities on the global stage and establishing new benchmarks for highway construction worldwide.

Awards and Recognitions News

Indian Army Major Wins Prestigious UN Award for Gender-Inclusive Peacekeeping Initiative

• Indian Army officer Major Swathi Shantha Kumar has been honored with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Award 2025 in the Gender Category for her groundbreaking project titled “Equal Partners, Lasting Peace” implemented during her deployment with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
• Her innovative work focused on promoting gender-inclusive peacekeeping operations by strategically integrating women peacekeepers into mission activities, which significantly enhanced community trust, improved local women’s participation in peace processes, and strengthened the foundations for sustainable long-term peace in conflict-affected regions of South Sudan.
• The transformative project directly benefited over 5,000 women in conflict zones, providing them with greater agency in peace and security matters, improved access to justice mechanisms, and enhanced participation in community decision-making processes.
• Major Kumar’s recognition highlights India’s growing contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations and demonstrates the critical importance of gender perspectives in achieving effective and sustainable peace in post-conflict environments globally.

Appointments and Resignations News

Kotak Mahindra Bank Strengthens Leadership with Appointment of Anup Kumar Saha as Whole-Time Director

• Kotak Mahindra Bank has announced the appointment of Anup Kumar Saha as its Whole-Time Director with effect from January 12, 2026, subject to obtaining necessary regulatory approvals from the Reserve Bank of India and other statutory authorities, significantly strengthening the bank’s senior leadership team.
• In his new role, Saha will oversee critical business verticals including consumer banking operations, marketing strategy and brand management, and data analytics functions, supporting the bank’s strategic focus on customer-centric services and accelerated digital transformation initiatives.
• Saha brings valuable industry experience from his prior leadership role at Bajaj Finance, where he developed expertise in consumer finance products, data-driven decision-making, and technology-enabled customer acquisition and retention strategies.
• The appointment is part of Kotak Mahindra Bank’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its management bandwidth and enhance capabilities in digital banking, analytics-driven decision making, and customer experience management in an increasingly competitive banking landscape.

Defence News

Mumbai Hosts Fifth Tri-Services Veterans Day Parade at Iconic Marine Drive

• Mumbai hosted the fifth edition of the Tri-Services Veterans Day parade at the iconic Marine Drive promenade, with over 500 veterans from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force participating in this prestigious military event ahead of the official Veterans Day observance on January 14.
• The parade featured distinguished gallantry award winners, including recipients of Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, and Vir Chakra, along with senior citizen veterans representing decades of dedicated military service to the nation.
• The ceremonial parade was officially flagged off by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, with senior officers from all three armed services in attendance, demonstrating the unity and coordination among India’s military branches in honoring retired personnel.
• Mumbai holds the unique distinction of being the only city in India to organize a city-level tri-services parade for this occasion, and the Veterans Day commemoration honors the legacy of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, India’s first Field Marshal, who retired from active military service on January 14, 1953.

Defence News

Indian Army Conducts Large-Scale Civil-Military Coordination Exercise at Dighi Hills

• The Indian Army conducted Exercise ‘Sanjha Shakti’ at the Dighi Hills Range near Pune under the aegis of Southern Command in January 2026, aimed at significantly enhancing civil-military coordination, emergency preparedness capabilities, and comprehensive disaster management response mechanisms.
• The extensive multi-agency drill involved over 350 personnel from military and civilian organizations, with participation from 16 civilian agencies including Maharashtra Police, elite Force One commando unit, fire services, medical emergency teams, and disaster management authorities.
• The exercise focused on developing rapid response capabilities for various emergency scenarios, ensuring public safety during crisis situations, and strengthening hinterland security through effective coordination and joint operations between military forces and civilian first responders.
• Exercise Sanjha Shakti demonstrated the critical importance of inter-agency cooperation in handling complex emergencies, natural disasters, and security challenges, while testing communication protocols, command structures, and resource sharing mechanisms during large-scale crisis situations.

Defence News

DRDO Successfully Tests Indigenous Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile with Advanced Capabilities

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a developmental test of the indigenously developed Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) on January 11, 2026, at a testing range in Maharashtra, with the missile successfully engaging and destroying a moving armored target.
• The MPATGM represents a sophisticated third-generation fire-and-forget weapon system equipped with advanced top-attack capability, allowing it to strike enemy tanks at their most vulnerable point on the top armor, and features an advanced imaging infrared seeker for autonomous target tracking.
• The weapon system is designed for all-weather, day-and-night operational capability and can effectively defeat modern main battle tanks equipped with contemporary armor protection, including explosive reactive armor and composite armor systems.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO team for the successful test, and the positive results move the indigenous missile system significantly closer to operational induction into the Indian Army, reducing dependence on imported anti-tank weapons.

State News

Uttar Pradesh to Showcase AI-Driven Governance at Regional Conference in Lucknow

• The Uttar Pradesh Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 will be held in Lucknow on January 12-13, organized collaboratively by IndiaAI, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Government of Uttar Pradesh, marking a significant milestone in the state’s digital transformation journey.
• The conference aims to showcase Uttar Pradesh’s pioneering initiatives in AI-driven governance across various departments, promote responsible and inclusive AI adoption that benefits all sections of society, and foster meaningful collaboration between government agencies, industry leaders, academic institutions, and innovative startups.
• The event will feature comprehensive technical sessions on AI applications in healthcare delivery, economic growth acceleration, and social welfare programs, along with dedicated startup showcases, industry technology demonstrations, and policy discussions on AI regulation and ethics.
• The regional conference serves as an important precursor to the larger IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026 scheduled to be held in New Delhi, and represents Uttar Pradesh’s commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence for improving citizen services and administrative efficiency.

Virat Kohli Achieves Historic Milestone as Second-Highest Run-Scorer in International Cricket

• Virat Kohli has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket across all formats, reaching this landmark during the first One Day International match against New Zealand where he scored a brilliant 93 runs in a successful chase of 301.
• Kohli surpassed legendary Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara’s career aggregate of 28,016 runs, with the Indian batting maestro now having accumulated 28,068 runs across Test matches, One Day Internationals, and Twenty20 Internationals combined.
• Only the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of cricket’s greatest batsmen, stands ahead of Kohli in the all-time international run-scoring list, with Tendulkar’s record of 34,357 runs representing the ultimate benchmark in batting consistency.
• Despite the personal milestone, Kohli characteristically emphasized that his primary focus remained on winning matches for India rather than individual achievements, and the record underscores his remarkable consistency, fitness, and sustained excellence at the highest level of international cricket over more than 15 years.

Science and Technology News

ISRO Investigates Anomaly in Third Stage of PSLV-C62 Mission

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C62 carrying the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-N1 on January 12, 2026, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, with initial flight performance parameters appearing normal during the first two stages.
• An anomaly was detected near the conclusion of the third stage (PS3) burn phase, with mission controllers observing unexpected roll rate deviations and flight path trajectory variations from the pre-programmed mission profile, potentially affecting the satellite’s intended orbital insertion parameters.
• ISRO has officially confirmed the technical issue and immediately initiated detailed telemetry analysis and comprehensive failure investigation to determine the root cause of the anomaly, with multiple technical teams examining all aspects of the third stage performance.
• The mission was commercially operated by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, and carried multiple satellites for deployment, marking this as the second recent PSLV mission to experience technical problems during the critical third-stage operation, raising concerns about consistency in this particular rocket stage.

Science and Technology News

India Unveils SCORP, Its First Indigenous Legged Mobile Manipulator Robot

• India has successfully unveiled SCORP (Smart Collaborative Operational Robotic Platform), the country’s first indigenously developed legged mobile manipulator, created by xTerra Robotics, a promising startup incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, marking a significant milestone in India’s advanced robotics capabilities.
• SCORP represents a sophisticated integration of agile legged mobility systems with an intelligent robotic manipulation arm, enabling the robot to navigate complex and uneven terrain while simultaneously performing intricate inspection tasks and object manipulation operations in challenging environments.
• The versatile robotic platform is specifically designed to operate in hazardous and hard-to-reach environments including industrial facilities, disaster zones, underground spaces, and hostile terrains, where it can conduct critical inspections, perform maintenance operations, and handle dangerous materials without risking human lives.
• The development of SCORP highlights India’s rapidly growing strength in deep-tech innovation, advanced automation technologies, and sophisticated robotics for diverse applications including industrial automation, public safety operations, disaster response, and defense requirements, reducing dependence on imported robotic systems.

Important Days News

National Youth Day 2026 Celebrates Swami Vivekananda’s Legacy and Youth Empowerment

• National Youth Day is celebrated annually across India on January 12, commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the legendary spiritual leader and philosopher who inspired generations of young Indians to embrace values of character development, visionary leadership, self-discipline, social responsibility, and nation-building.
• Officially established in 1984 by the Government of India, National Youth Day serves as a platform for promoting quality education, organizing cultural programs that showcase youth talent, conducting leadership development workshops, and encouraging community service initiatives that connect young people with social causes.
• The observance reflects Swami Vivekananda’s timeless philosophy emphasizing holistic personal growth combining physical fitness, intellectual development, moral character, and dedicated service to humanity, with his famous quote “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached” continuing to inspire millions.
• National Youth Day 2026 particularly emphasizes the critical role of youth as active agents of India’s comprehensive development and highlights the country’s demographic advantage with the world’s largest youth population in shaping a prosperous Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047, aligning with national development goals and aspirations.